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Friday 30 January 2015

Recipe: Salt and Pepper Fillet Steak Kebab w/ Green Peppers (Successful Experiment)


I think the idea for this had been brewing in my subconscious after I was reminded the other day what a great combination of flavours peppers and steak are. I've been hankering for a (good) salt and pepper vibe, be it squid, ribs or prawns, but I've been sorely disappointed in my new hood. So the only way to remedy this . . . (dramatic pause) is to create my own! (evil villain voice) Whuar ha ha haaar!

keeping the mix pretty pure - one variable at time and all


Sooo goood . . . . so moist and juicy . . . that is a Saturday foodgasm!

My usual salt and pepper concoction contains ginger and various other things, but I wanted to get more of a handle on the flavour Szechuan pepper so I've tried to keep the mix fairly pure leaning heavily toward the Szechuan. (It could handle more!)

Left alone with this kebab, the temptation of it's rare and sultry nature, is simply too great - resistance is futile! The rewards to the taste buds? When you bite into that soft warm naan, and the flavour combo of the juicy steak and pepper, followed by salty heat and sharpened by the lime and coriander you will be in heaven! It’s out of control!

Not to be missed!

fresh ingredients = good kebab
























ingredients (serves 1 - hungry type)

for the szechuan salt and pepper seasoning
25g salt
20g szechuan pepper
4 small chillies
10g black pepper corns

for the beef
1 large fillet or sirloin steak

for the vegetables
6 peppers (cut into rings) (capsicum anuum, aci sivri or charli)
1 onion (sliced into strips)

for the coriander and lime sauce
5g coriander (finely chopped)
1/2 lime (zest & juice)
30g mayo (or yoghurt)

use mortar or spice mill
for the naan bread
1 naan bread (buy or make you own)

for the garnish
coriander

apparatus / equipment
mortar and pestle or
spice mill
fine sieve



method
beef
Before anything make sure you've taken the beef out of the fridge so that it's at room temperature before you do anything to it.
Coat it in oil and salt and pepper mix.
Sear it in a hot heavy based pan (griddle pan if you like) until you have it cooked how you like, I like mine medium rare. There are some tips on how to cook a steak here.

for the szechuan salt and pepper seasoning
Collect the ingredients together and, either put them into a spice mill or a mortar and pestle. Mash 'em up until they for a smooth powder, then pass that through a fine sieve. Done

szechuan pepper chopped chillies  &  black pepper a little paprika salt pic nameblend

for the vegetables
Prep them, then dust them (heavy handedly) with the salt and pepper mix  and put them into a hot pan with a touch of olive oil.
Keep them going until they're charred on the edges to give you a really god char grilled flavour.

coriander and lime sauce
Mix the ingredients. If you do this first, (ahem, after you’ve taken the steak out) the flavour will develop more while you prepare everything else.

naan bread
Check out my previous post here on how to make really soft and delicious naan bread, or if you're feeling a touch lazy get some from the local store or kebab shop. You can try and get a kebab like this but, well, you wont! NO chance!






to serve
Lay out that naan, add a touch of mayo or yogurt, cover in vegetables, and sliced beef, give a squirt / dollop of coriander sauce.
Roll.
Devour.

what could go wrong? 
Some one steals it from you just after you're finished and you have to make another.
Don't let that mistake loop, you'll be there for days if the word gets out!

S N O R K!!! Sooo goood . . . . so moist and juicy . . . that is a Saturday foodgasm!

Wednesday 28 January 2015

Recipe: Zero Fat Red Pepper and Spinach Soup - 10 minutes!


I was after making myself something light for my lunch the other day - as in zero fat!

That’s a tricky business if you want something to taste even half decent. I think this one met the brief! Even better, it takes almost no time to make!! Less if you already have some cooked peppers in the fridge!

I had some enoki mushrooms and tobiko left over from some Japanese I’d made a few days prior, I was surprised how mush they brought to the party!! The tobiko is optional, the sesame seeds bring a similar texture and the fish sauce overpowers their subtle fishiness, I added them any way, quite nice!



ingredients (serves 1)
for the soup
1/2 pepper (cooked until soft and slightly charred)
100g spinach
1 chicken stock cube
600ml boiling water
dash soy sauce
dash fish sauce
1/2 lime (juiced)
30g enoki mushrooms (chopped)

for the garnish
1/2 tsp tobiko (optional)
sesame seeds (garnish)
chives (garnish)

method
Cook the pepper with a tiny amount of extra virgin olive oil, add water and put a lid on, cook until soft.
If the red pepper was already cooked, heat them through before adding them.
Once the peppers are ready dissolve the stock cube in boiling water in a jug


Add the red pepper & spinach straight away let it wilt a little.
Add a dash of soy sauce and a dash of fish sauce and season with lime.

Pour the soup into you favourite bowl and make a mushroom island in the middle and sprinkle with tobiko.

to serve
Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped chives. Serve immediately
It’s a big soup, fast to make, and fill you up!

Friday 16 January 2015

Vegetarian @ Maida Hill Place 30th Jan

by Simon Fernandez of ferdiesfoodlab

Our next event is a vegetarian dinner at Maida Hill Place in support of their Vegetarian January (click to see other events

So due to popular demand, I've gone through our menu portfolio and have been doing some vegetarian development in the kitchen!!

Now all the dishes below can't be on the menu, but for those amongst you who have expressed an interest in a veggie night it should give you an idea of what to expect.

All comments welcome!! As are funky menu ideas!! : )

How to Book

palm of heart salad w/ beef tomato & shredded white omelette topped w/ egg yolk butter croutons & poppy seeds
snowburst nectarine w/ ultralight crepe served w/ grapefruit & basil syrup
vegetable soup w/ vegetarian haggis & poached egg 
topped w/ spring onion, black sesame and sesame oil
popcorn icecream & salted caramel fudge maple cookies w/ maple syrup
spicy arancini w/ poached egg, pea butter sauce on a bed of peas
cauliflower soup w/ gorgonzola, basil oil & parsnip crisps
chocolate delice w/ iced chocolate strawberry, white whiskey sauce & sesame & pistachio tuile
carrot cake (foodlab style) w/ carrot tuile & orange carrot and thyme ice cream
rosemary butter crostini
banana tatin w/ banana & whiskey creme, passion fruit & passion fruit sorbet
onion soup w/ basil crostini & spinach
pistachio oil cake w/ white chocolate & pistachio foil - petit four
hand crafted almond biscotti
smokey linguini
salted caramel & vanilla cake w/ black olive ganache & thyme & orange syrup
sage infused aubergine stacks w/ micro mushroom ketchup
sweet potato tortilla w/ oyster mushrooms noisette and rosemary bread
aubergine w/ cardamom spiced honey
roast sweet potato w/ spicy coriander dressing
vegetarian haggis w/ caramelised apple & thyme
dwarf snowburst nectarine w/ pistachio spears & basil served w/ black olive ganache - petit fours
cauliflower couscous w/ preserved lemon and medjool dates
thai basil & carrot salad w/ black sesame & cracker bread


asian style spicy orange sauce

Wednesday 14 January 2015

Recipe Shortcuts: Garlic, Onion, Chicken Stock Reduction


This (I’m not kidding!!) is one of those Sunday afternoon, background tasks that I do when I’m writing posts, or soaking up TED or youtube that kind of thing. You just need to kick it off and let it do it’s thing for a couple of hours! 

What’s it for? Succulent Chicken Breast Rigatoni (aka Teriyaki Mac 'n' Cheese), Smokey Linguini with Chorizo, Quiche of Kings See links (below) for recipes . . .

The nice thing is you can have it sat in a jar in the fridge and just dump a tbsp or two of it into what ever you’re cooking. It saves you the time of making a mirepoix or sofrito base. So on those days when you fancy some really nice fuel ‘and rapid like’ (said in my best RAF voice) you can knock up a bowl of smoked chorizo linguini in 10minutes! (including boiling the kettle!)


ingredients (fills 2x 600g mayo jar!)
for the reduction
4 bulbs of garlic (peeled and crushed)
6 chicken / vegetable stock (crushed)
12 onions (fine dice)
300ml olive oil
3 chillies (fine chopped including seeds)

method
Prep the ingredients, put them all into a stock pot (oil first), bring to the boil then set to simmer with a lid on. Stir occasionally so that it doesn’t catch, it’s ready when the onion has caramelised - medium dark brown.

It should be a thick coating consistency, with a low water content and should taste pretty salty, don’t forget it’s a stock and seasoning mix to use as a base!!

Once cooled a little pour the mix into a sterilised jar. There should be enough oil in the mix so that when it settles there will be a 5-10ml (protective) coating of oil on the top. If not add a little more olive oil until there is. The oil layer acts as a protective barrier against oxidation. It will last for a month in the fridge no problem.

links
I’ll add links to the recipes I use this in as I post them. Succulent Chicken Breast Rigatoni (aka Teriyaki Mac 'n' Cheese), Smokey Linguini with Chorizo, Quiche of Kings and more . . .

Succulent Chicken Breast Rigatoni (aka Teriyaki Mac 'n' Cheese)

if the common Quiche were fit for Kings

Smokey Linguini with Chorizo

How To Book / Attend

How To Book / Attend
Fancy getting stuck in? Click on the image above and to see how : ) . . . hope to see you soon.

More Techniques, Basics and Corker Recipes

More Techniques, Basics and Corker Recipes
If there's something you've tried at ferdiesfoodlab or a technique you want to know about drop us a line at bookings@ferdiesfoodlab.co.uk and I'll put up a post about it!!

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